Coin-controlled vending machine



Aug. 19, 1952 F. MLSAIGH, JR 2,507,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1947 l0 Sheets-Sheet 1.FIGI.

INVENTORZ FRED MSAIGH JR.

ATTOR NEY.

g- 19, 1952 F. M. SAIGH, JR 2,607,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1947 l0 Sheets-Sheet 2FIG. 4.

I73 I52 9 I 179 FIG. 5. 3a 41 I NW1 INVENTORZ FRED M. SAIGH JR.

BYW

ATTORN Y- 1952 F. M. SAlGH, JR 7 2,607,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1947 10 Sheets-She et 3FIG. 8. 68 FIG. 9. I

6 I 7 9/ 1a" 65 as l 92 as H 93 84 3 7 94 75 ll /0 I mvzmon:

12 FRED M.SAIGH JR.

19, 1.952 F. M. SAIGH, JR 2,607,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 4FIGIO. 87 FIGJI. f F|G.l2. I

INVENTOR'. FRED M.SAIGH JR.

ATTORNEY.

19, 9 F M. SAIGH, JR 2,607,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March a, 1947 l 10 Sheets-Sheet 5FIG. l5.

mvsmoa:

F RED M. SAIGH JR LAWN-3W AT TORNEY.

8- 19, 1952 F. M. SAIGH, JR

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 6, 1947INVENTOR'.

FRED M.SAIGH JR.

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 19, 1952 s g JR 2,607,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE I Filed March 6, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 7ATTORNEY.

Aug. 19, 1952 F. M. SAIGH, JR 2,607,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March a, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheqb 8FIG. 23.

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INVENTOR:

FRED M. SAIGH JR.

I40 BY ATTORNEY.

1952 F. M. SAIGH, JR

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1947 '10 Sheets-Sheet 9mvzmoa FRED MSAIGH JR.

AT TORN Aug. 19, 1952 s JR 2,607,463

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1947 10 Sheets-Sheet 1OIN szmss WITH SIMILAR SWITCHES TO BLADE 230 I To 56 I IN VENTOR J FREPM.SAIGH JR.

AT TOR NEY Patented Aug. 19, 1952 ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12,607,453 COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Fred M. Saigh, J r., St.Louis, Mo. Application March 6, 1947, Serial No. 732,670

This invention'relates in general to certain new and useful improvementsin coin-controlled vending machines. I

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a coin-controlledvending machine which will not retain the purchasers money under anycircumstances except .upon delivery of desired and selected merchandise.

It is another object of the present invention to provide acoin-controlled vending machine which will deliver any one of severaldifferent types or kinds of merchandise subject to the selection of thepurchaser and make such delivery from a single delivery opening in sucha manner as will prevent unauthorized persons from fraudulently orotherwise removing merchandise from the machine without making properpayment therefor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vendingmachine of the type stated which is fully electric in operation andcontains a complete system of interconnected safety controls to preventmalfunctioning and to insure that the purchasers money will be returnedin the event of abnormal or erroneous operation or mechanical breakdown.

It is likewise an object of'the present invention to provide a vendingmachine of the type stated which will automatically reject thepurchasers money if an amount is deposited in-the machine which does notbear a proper or predetermined relationship to the price of-themerchandise selected.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a vendingmachine of the type stated which will automatically give a visibleindication when selected merchandise is not available for delivery inresponse to actuation of the machine.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a machine ofthe type stated which is capable of dispensing merchandise in severaldifferent price categories and will automatically indicate the pricecategories in which the machine will deliver merchandise responsive to aparticular amount of money which has been deposited in the machine, sothat the purchaser will know What different kinds of merchandise he maybuy for the particular amount of money deposited and, contrariwise, willalso know what other types of merchadise available in the machine willnot be delivered because the funds deposited are yet inadequate to meetthe price.

And with the above and other objects in View, my invention resides inthe novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combinationof parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (ten sheets) Figure 1 is a frontelevational View o wa coin- 2 Claims. (Cl. 19410) controlled vendingmachine constructed in. accordance with and embodying my presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the coincontrolled vendingmachine. c

Figure .3 is a rear elevational view, 'fpartly broken away and insection, of the frontpanel ofthemachine; 1 c

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure1;

Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary detail views of the merchandisedelivery mechamsm;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view of the merchandise selecting andcash switch mechanisms forming a part of the present invention; Figures8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary detail views of the coin-selecting andrecording mechanism.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are fragmentary sectional views of thecoin-selecting and recording mechanism .taken respectively along linesI'0|U,

H-H,and I2-l2ofFigur.e,9;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the coin-selecting andrecording mechanism taken along the line l3-|3, of Figure 8;

Figure 14 is an enlarged detail view of the time delay switch forming apart of the present invention; i

Figure 15 is a'horizontal sectional view taken along the line l5l 5 ofFigure 1;

Figure 16 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line lE-l 6 ofFigure 15;

, Figure 17 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional viewtaken along theline" Il-l1, offFigure 16;

Figure 18 is a detail plan view of the cash recording mechanism formingapart of the present invention; V

Figure 19 is a detail elevational view of the cash recording mechanismforming a part of the present invention;

Figures 20, 21 and 22 are sectional views taken respectively along lines2028, 21-21, and 22-22 of Figure 19; p s

Figure 23 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the operation of theratchet ofthe cash recording mechanism;

Figure 24 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the variouscircuits embodied in the vending machine of the present invention;

Figure 25 is a front elevational view of a modified form of vendingmachine;

Figure 26 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 26-28 ofFigure 25; and

Figure 27 is a schematic wiring diagramshowing the modified electricalconnections employed in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 25 and 26.

Referring now in more detail and by reference (characters to thedrawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention A designates an outer housing or case comprising a main orbase shell I, which, in turn, consists of arectang-ular bottom wall 2, ashort front apron board 3 two spaced parallelside walls 4, 4', and aback wall 5. The side walls 4, 4', and back wall 5 terminate at theirupper margins the same plane for tight fitting engagement with thedownwardly presented margins of -a top sec- I tion 6 which comprises twospaced parallel side walls I, 1', a rear wall 8, a top wall 9, and anobliquely disposed front panel In, whichextends forwardly and downwardlyfor a distance somewhat short of the total height of the top section 6land at its lower margin is joined to a narrow ltransverselyextendingiront wall ;I 1. Along its lower margin; the rear wall 8 issecured by means f- ,hinges |2hto theupper marginvof the back wall 5, sothat the top section 6. may be swung upwardly, as .shown'in dotted linesin Figure 2.

The, side walls 4; 4., areprovided upon their inner faces with manuallyoperable spring catches I3 adapted for engagement with suitable detentsI4, which are, in turn, fixed-upon the inner, faces of the side walls.1, I, so that the top 6 will norimall'ybeheld'firmly in closedposition. Provided for removable closure-forming disposition in theopening defined. by the forward vertical edges of the sidewalls 4, '4',the lower edge of the front wall 11 vof th'egtopsection '6, and theupper edge of the frontlapron board 3, isa panel l having .a. centrallydisposed delivery aperture l6. and a forwardly projecting delivery shelfor till ll. Upon its. rear face, the panel [5 is. provided withadelivery. chute .l8 and .a vertical backing board panel 'l5' isprovidedjwith alock v21 hywhichit .mayv be secured in place .toprevent-unauthorized access to the interior of .thecase A.

V .Itwillbe noted in this connection that the .springgca'tches T3 are solocated so as to be entirely,fi11accessib1e when the panel V [5.15locked in plaice and jthe,entir e housing or case A' is .thus securelyclosed in a theft-proof manner.

. .Rivetedor otherwise suitablysecured upon-the uppenfaceof the bo'ttomwall 2, is a base plate 23, and similarly mounted upon the inner facesofthe .side walls -4, 4, and back wall 5, is a skeleton framework orchassis formed of interconnected angle iron and channel-Shapsdstructuralmembers including a rear cross bar "24, side bars 25', 1'25 Va'forwardcrosslbar '26, vertical posts 21, 21', and an upper crossbar 28.

Welded or otherwise suitably secured at their lupperrandlowermarginsrespectively to the forward cross-barllfiand the base plate 23 andextending. vertically upwardly 'therebetween is a spaced series ofpressed metalpartitions 29"having a plurality of vertical corrugations3'!) ar- *ranged'sothat'the apices of the corrugations on one face of"any selected partition 29-will be di- 'rectly-aligned with, andopposite to, the apices uponthe opposing "face of the next adjacentpartition 29in such a manner-as to form slideways for the packages ofmerchandise disposed therebetween. The partitions'29 project forwardlyto 'apoint-just-rearward of-the'backing board l9 and thus form a seriesof so-called merchandise compartments C, each of which is substantiallysimilar to all others. It will, of course, be understood that thesecompartments maybe of different dimensions to accommodate differentsizes or kinds of merchandise where so desired. For example, thepreferred embodiment herein being described includes two centralcompartments sized to accommodate match-books flanked on either side byfour compartments sized to accommodate cigarette packages, making atotal of eight such cigarette compartments.

Secured at its lower and upper ends respectively, the base plate 23 andthe cross bar 28, rearwardly of each compartment C, and equidistantlyfrom each two compartment-defining partitions 29, is vertical rod 3 I,provided with a long external or encircling spiral spring 32, attachedat'its-upper end to the upper crossbar 28 and a-tl-ts lower end to atubular quill or sliding sleeve '33. Rigidly secured to the lower end ofeach sleeve 33 is a forwardly extending horizontal elevator plate 34dimensioned for loose fitting disposition within the associatedcompartment C and having a rearwardly projecting latching finger forengagement with a snap latch-member 36, one such latch-member for eachcompartment being mounted on a horizontally extending latch bar 36",fixed at its ends ina pair of rocker arms 3T which are, in turn,pivotally mounted upon the inner faces of the side walls 4, 4'respectively. Swingably mounted in and projecting forwardly from therocker arms 31, areactuating link rods 38 which extend'slidably throughsupporting brackets 39'on the inner faces of the side walls '4, 4',adapted for impinging engagement atthei-r opposite or free ends againstthe rear face of the panel-extension 211 and being normally urgedforwardly by compression springs 40, all 'asbest seen in Figure land forpurposes more fully appearing.

Rigidly mounted at its ends in, and extending horizontally between, thesidebars 2'5, is a pivot rod 41, and swingably mounted upon the "pivotrod 41, between each pair of partitions 29,

is a depending kicker 42 provided at its lower end with a forwardlyprojecting horizontal stop plate 43 normally disposed in superposedparallel relation to the elevator plate 34. Welded, soldered, orotherwise rigidly secured to the back face'of the kicker 42 andprojecting downwardly therefrom is a pair of rodlike delivery arms 44,each provided at its lower extremity with an integral rearwardly andupwardly bent holddown member 45, the latter being bent on a circulararc, the radius of which is equal to the distance between the center ofthe pivot rod 41 and the under face of the hold-down plate 43 plus thethickness of a single merchandise package, so that, when a stack ofmerchandise is placed upon the elevator plate 34, as shown in- Figure 4,the upper and rearwardly presented faces of the uppermost packages willrespectively rest against the under faces of the stop plate 43 and theprojecting portion of the delivery arms 44. Thus when the kicker 42swings forwardly only the uppermost package will be propelledover theupper edge of the backing board l9 and will thence fall freely'downwardly through the chute l8 and through the opening 16 into the tillIT for removal by the purchaser.

The upper end of the kicker 42 is provided with a finger 46 whichprojects upwardly beyond 'the pivot rod 4| and is suitably apertured forreceiving one hooked end of a tension spring-41,

the other hooked end of which is secured in the upwardly projectingflange 48 of the forward cross bar 26 for normally urging the kicker 42into rearward position. Also mounted on, and

' depending from, the under face of the forward kicker 42 and is adaptedwhen energized to swing the kicker 42 forwardly to the position shown indotted lines in Figure 4 to effect delivery of the uppermost package ofmerchandise. It will be noted that, as the kicker 42 is swung'for-."wardly, the hold-down member 45 will engage 'the top face of the nextsucceeding package and hold the column or stack of merchandise packagesstationary while the uppermost merchandise package is being delivered ordischarged into the chute [8. When the solenoid 49 is deenergized afterhaving. discharged a merchandise package, the kicker 42 will be swungrearwardly under influence of the spring 41 and as soon as the hold-downmembers 45 have cleared the rear edge of the merchandise package withwhich they are engaged, the column or stack of packages will be free tomove upwardly into engagement with the under face of the hold-down plate43 and the entire column or stack of merchandise packages will be urgedupwardly by the elevator plate 34 and the spring 32 into abutment withthe stop plate 43.

Mounted upon the rear cross bar 24 centrally and to the rear of eachcompartment C, is a limit switch 52 having five spaced parallel contactblades 53, 54, 55, 56, and. 51, the blades 54 I and 56 beingsubstantially longer than and projecting outwardly beyond, the others.The

blades 53 and 54 are provided upon their facing surfaces with opposedcontact buttons 58, 59

and the blade 55 is provided on its upper face with a contact button 50positioned for engage- -ment with an opposed contact button 6| mountedupon the underside of the blade 56, the latter,

being also provided upon theunder face of its projecting end with asomewhat longer contact button 62 adapted for engagement with the upperface of the projecting end of the blade 54. Finally, the upper face ofthe blade '56 is provided with a-contact button 63 for engagement withan opposed contact button 64 mounted upon the under face of the blade51. The projecting end of the blade 54 of each limit switch 52 isdisposed in the path of the latching finger 35 of the elevator plate 34associated with its particular compartment C, so that when such elevatorplate 34 reaches the upper limit of its travel and that particularcompartment 0 of the machine is empty, the blade 54 will be shiftedupwardly breaking the contact between the switch points 58, 59, makingcontact with the switch point 62, shifting the latter upwardly to flexthe blade 56 and therebybreak contact between the switch points 58, BI,and at the same time, make contact between the switch points 63, 64, allasbest seen in Figure 6 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Removably mounted upon, and supported from the side bar 25, is a coindeposit mechanism B which is assembled, for convenient removal andreplacement, upon a dielectric plate or panel 65, the latter having aplurality of binding posts 65 for receiving conventional wire fasteninglugs 81 by which the coin deposit the panel [5.

mechanism may be connected to the various circuits in the machine in themanner presently to be described. Secured upon the face of andprojecting upwardly from the panel 65 is a coin rejector R (Figures 8,9) which may be of any conventional design or construction adapted toreceive coins from a coin depositing slot 5 formed plunger 10 of ascavenger solenoid H, and depending from the coin rejector R is ascavenger chute 12 which, in turn, opens downwardly into ascavenger-return tube 13, the latter extending downwardly and openinginto a coin return till 14 located upon and projecting outwardly fromAlso depending from the coin rejector R is a coin discharge chute I5which conventionally consists of three channels adapted respectively toreceive nickels, dimes, and quarters, as they pass out of the selectormechanism which forms a conventional part of the coin rejector R.

Mounted upon the panel 55 directly beneath the chute i5 is a coinactuated sensing mechanism S having three preferably vertical chutes orchannels 76, Ti, and 73 respectively, disposed beneath the threechannels of the'coin chute T5 for receiving nickels, dimes, and quarterswhich drop therefrom. Disposed within and extending across the channel:6 is a single switch element 19 adapted to make contact once each timea nickel falls down through the chute l6. Similarly, the channel H isprovided with two switch 4 elements arranged in vertically successiveorder wardly through the channel '18.

so as to make two separate and successively timed contacts when a dimedrops downwardly through the channel ll. Finally, the channel '58 isprovided with live vertically spaced switch elements '59" arranged tomake five separate and successively timed contacts as a quarter dropsdown- It will also be noted by referenceto Figures 10 to 13, inclusive,that these several contacts just above described are spacially arrangedin reference to each other so that there is no possibility of causingtwo contacts to take place simultaneously and thus record the amount or"the coins inaccurately. Even if two coins should happen to be movingdownwardly through two of the charmels at the same successive contactswhich would, in turn, result in seven separate and distinct electricalimpulses.

At its lower end the sensing mechanism S is provided with downwardlypointed triangular'side walls 863 and oppositely swinging gates -35, 82,which rest against and extend transversely between the inclined marginsof the side walls 30 and are pivoted between cross bars 83. Each of thegates 8|, 8?. is provided with outwardly extending actuating arms 84, 85which are respectively connected to a coin return solenoid 86 and a coindepositing solenoid 81.

1 i The gates 8|, 82 are also provided with outwardly projecting armsas, as which are connected lat-their outer ends to tension's'pring 30,SI adapted normally to-hold the gates 8 I, 82 in closed position. Thus,the gate BI, acting in conjunction with the arms 84, 88, the

erally designated T and consisting of an actuating solenoid 96 having areciprocating plunger 91, one end of which projects horizontallyoutwardly and is integrally provided with 2. diametrically enlarged stopcollar 98; outwardly of the collar 98, the plunger 91, is axially kerfedor milled out to provide a yoke slot 99 and opposed parallel ears I00.The time delay mechanism T also includes a cylinder IOI disposed inco-axial alignment with the axis of the solenoid plunger 01 and providedin its one end wall with a conventional check valve I 2. Workingreciprocably within the cylinder IN is a piston I03 having a plunger rodI04 projectin outwardly through a collar I and extending at its outerend within the slot 99 and secured therein by means of a cotter pin I06.Coiled around the plunger rod I04 interiorly of the cylinder IOI is aplunger spring I01 abutting at one end against the outer face of thepiston I03 and at its other end against the inner face of the collar I05so as to normally urge the piston I03 inwardly in the direction of thecheck valve I02. The collar I05 is provided with a small vent apertureI08 which is large enough to permit ready exhaustion of the air withinthe cylinder as the piston I03 is moved backwardly against the action ofthe spring I01 and the check valve I02 is set in such a manner astoallow air to enter the cylinder behind the piston I03 freely, but torestrict the discharge of air from the piston I03 as the piston isforced back to its original position under influence of the spring I01,and thereby effect a predetermined time delay. projects outwardly fromthe solenoid 96 and is provided with a dielectric lug I09 which impingesagainst the projecting end of a spring blade IIO forming part of anautomatic refund switch III. Inwardly of its free end, the blade H0 isprovided with a contact button I I2 for circuit-making engagement with acontact button I I3 mounted in a-shorter spring blade H4. It should benoted in this connection that the lug I 09 and blade IIO are so locatedin reference to the path of travel of the plunger 91 that the switch IIIwill be closed several seconds before the plunger returns to its initialor dc-energized position, all as best seen in Figure 14.

Also mounted on the upper cross bar 28 is a coin recording,circuit-routing distributor, D, comprising a U-shaped skeleton frame II5having a horizontal base plate I I6 and upwardly extending side platesII1. Flanged over at its opposite ends, and secured to the upper ends ofside plates I I1, is a' cross plate II8 for supporting,

upon its under face, an electromagnet II9 having an enclosing frame I20and a pole piece I20 projecting outwardly from an end thereof. Swingablymounted upon the frame I20 by means The solenoid plunger 91 of a pivotstud I2] is a leaf type armature I22 provided at its upper end with anextension arm I 23 for engagement in one end of a tension spring I24secured at its other end upon a tension adjusting stud I25 whichprojects through an upstanding eye I26 formed upon the upper face of thecross plate I I8. Threaded upon the projecting end of the stud'I25 foradjustably fixing it lengthwise with respect to the eye I26isranadjustment nut I21, and lock nut I21. Rockably and swingablymounted upon the pivot stud I2! is an actuating arm I28 providedintermediate its ends with an elongated aperture I29 for loose fittingengagement with a pin I30 fixed in and projecting outwardly from thearmature I22. Below the aperture I29 the actuating arm I28 is providedwith an offset bend I'3I, and .below the latter is apertured forengagement with one hooked end of a tension spring I32 which is in turnhooked at its'other end around an upstanding post I33 mounted in theframe'plate I I6, outwardly from, and to one side of, the armature I22,so that its axis will extend at asubstantia'l angle to the path ofmovement of the armature I22 and thereby urge the actuating arm. I28laterally outwardly from the side face of the armature I22. Below theoffsetbend I3I, the actuating arm is provided with a downward extensionI34 terminating just above the frame plate I I6 and adapted upon forwardmovement of the armature I22, for edgewise engagement with one of theteeth of a ratchet wheelv I35 which. is formed with an integral hubportion I36bearing upon its downwardly presented end face, against theupper face of the frame plate H6, and being pinned to the upperend of avertical shaft'I 31, journaled in and extending downwardly through theframe plate H6. And disposed encirclingly around the lower portion ofthe hub I36 is a spiral spring I38 secured at its lower end to the frameplate I I6 and at its upper end to the ratchet wheel I35. At its lowerend the shaft I31 is in turn also journaled in a dielectric terminalplate I39 which is secured in downwardly spaced relationship beneath theframe plate II6 by means of a plurality of threaded studs I40 and spacersleeves I4I.

Mounted upon one of the side plates H1 and projecting inwardly over theratchet wheel I35, is a resetting mechanism I42 comprising a magneticcoil I43 and a stationary pole piece I44 secured within a frame I45which is in turn provided with an outwardly projecting, preferablyintegral, tongue portion I46 having an integral stop arm I41 bent overapproximately at right angles to the tongue portion I46 and extendingacross, and in outwardly spaced relationship to, the pole piece I44.Swingably mountedupon the tongue I46 and extending between the polepiece I44 and the stop arm I41 is an armature plate I48 projecting atone end, as at I49, beyond the tongue I 46 for engagement with one endof a tension spring I50 which is in turn, at its other end, connected toan ear I5I struck up from the magnet-frame I 45, for normally urging thearmature I 48 outwardly away from the pole piece I44 and against thestop arm I41. At its other end, as at I52, the armature bears against anactuating bar I53 mounted rigidly in and extending from a pawl I 54pivoted atits mid-portion upon an upstanding stud I55 mounted in theframe plate H6. The pawl I54 is provided at one end with a tongue-I56suitably shaped for engagement in the interdental spaces of the ratchetwheel I35, and at its other end is provided with an outwardly extendingarm I51 apertured for receiving one hooked end of a tension spring I58which is in turn, at its other end, suitably fastened to the side plateI I1 for normally urging the pawl into retentive engagement with one ofthe teeth of the ratchet wheel I35.

t will be apparent that as the actuating solenoid H3 is energized, thearmature I22 and its associated actuating arm I28 will be swung inwardlytoward the pole piece I29 of the coil II9 so that the downward extensionl34 thereof will move from the position shown in full lines to theposition shown in dotted lines in Figure 23, advancing the ratchet wheelby a distance of one tooth, so to speak. Because the actuating arm I28is more or less loosely mounted upon the stud HI and is free to rocklaterally, it will swing slightly toward the armature I22 along the pinI30 during this advancing movement so as not to bind the tooth of theratchet wheel I35. When the current energizing the coil H9 isinterrupted, the armature I22 will be released and the actuating arm I28will be pulled backwardly into original position for engagement with thenext successive tooth of the ratchet wheel I35. It will thus be evidentthat each time the coil I I9 is energized the ratchet wheel I35 will beadvanced a single tooth or step. Furthermore, it will be evident that asthe ratchet wheel I35 is advanced the spring I38 will be placed underincreasing tensicnand will tend to return the ratchet wheel to itsoriginal position but such return movement is prevented by the pawl I54.

When the coil I43 is energized, the armature plate I48 will be swunginwardly against the pole piece I44 and the extended end I52 of the armI33 will bear against and swing the actuating bar I53 of the pawl I54outwardly, disengaging the pawl from, and thereby releasing, the ratchetI35 which will thereupon be returned to initial position under influenceof the spring I38.

Pinned to the lower end of the shaft I31 is a conductive disc I59bearing upon its under face against a spring pressed conductor buttonI60 which is mounted in the dielectric terminal plate I39. Secured to,and extending outwardly from the conductive'disc I59 is a conductor armI6I which is bent downwardly and terminates in a contactor shoe I62which sweeps over a series of contact buttons I63 mounted in a spacedseries I upon the upper face of the dielectric terminal plate I39 alongan arc concentric with the shaft I31. It should be noted in thisconnection that the several buttons I63 are so spaced from each otherthat the contactor shoe I62 will move successively from one such buttonI63 to the next adjacent button I63, as the ratchet wheel I35 progressesstep by step.

Suitably mounted upon the terminal plate I39, adjacent one of the outeredges thereof, is a zero position switch I64 having three spacedparallel leaf spring switch blades I65, I66 and I61. The blades I65andI61 are respectively provided, upon their inwardly presented faces, withcontact points I68, I69 and the intermediate blade I66 is provided uponits opposite faces with contact points I10, "I for respective contactiveengagement with the contact points I68, I69. The blade I65, furthermore,is prolonged and extends over the edge of the disc I59 for engagementwith an upstanding dielectric pin I12 mounted in the upper face of thedisc I59 adjacent the outer peripheral margin thereof.

The pin, I12 is so. positioned in relation to the arm I6I that when lampthe latter is in zero position,;that is tosay,

contact with the first in the seriesof contact, buttons I63, the pin I12will impinge againsttheprolonged end of the blade I65 flexing, itbackwardly and shifting the contact button I68;

out of engagement with the contact button I10, and accordingly releasingthe intermediate blade I66 from fiexure,'in which unflexed position, it

will assume a position such that its contact button I1I is out ofcontacting engagement with the, contact button I69 of the switch bladeI61, all as 1- best seen in Figure 21. When, however, the disc I59rotates in a clockwise direction (reference being had to Figure 21), thepin I12 will. move away from the prolonged end of the blade I165.

As a result the contact button I68 will comeinto circuit-completingengagement with the con tact button I10 and upon continued movement I ofthe pin I12, the blade I66 will also be fiexed so that the contactbutton will be brought into circuit-completing contact with contactbutton The obliquely disposed front panel I0 of the top section 6 isprovided centrally with an elongated preferably rectangular opening I13closed. by a transparent panel I14 formed of glass, plastic, or othersuitable material, and surface coated to render it entirely opaqueexcept for a v plurality of circular areas or windows I15 ar T ranged ina uniformly spaced horizontal series and a single oblong rectangulararea or window I16 preferably located above and midway'of the series ofcircular areas I15. The panel I14 is finally provided, directly beneatheach of the circular transparent areas or windows I15, with a smallaperture I11, all as best seen-in Figure 7 goods indicator lamps I30.

ISI comprising a main supporting arm I82 and three spaced parallelflexible switch blades 183,, I84, and I85. The blade I85 is providedupon its inner face with a contact point I86 normally in contactiveengagement with the opposed-face of the switch blade I84 and the latteris in turn provided upon its other face with a contactpoint. I I81normally spaced from, and out .of contact The switchblade with, theswitch blade I83. I84 projects, at its free end, outwardly beyond theswitch blades I83, I85 for engagement with? a switch actuating arm I88swingably mounted;

upon an ear I89 struck up from the main supporting arm I62. Theactuating arm I83 is rigidly. connected to, and actuated by, a rock arm.I90

provided adjacent itsouter or free end with an elongated slot I9I.'Shiftably -mounted'in and 'f extending longitudinally through each ofthe apertures I11 is a rod-like push button I92 fabr'i' cated preferablyof dielectric material and pro-" vided adjacent its inner end with ahorizontal projecting pin I93 extending through and work ing in therock-arm slot I9I and mounted upon I the opposed face of the crossplate-I19 directly behind each of the push buttons I92-is-an abut- 114iment disc I94 formed of sponge rubber-or'other;=

Also mounted upon the cross bar I19, and disposed behind the oblongrectangular v window 116, are three parallel-connected.no-.:

Rigidly mounted (1 upon and extending inwardly from the rear face. ofthe front panel I0 beneath, and aligned with, j each of the aperturesI11, is a push button switch 9 suitable-shock absorbing material, andbeing of sufficient thickness soas to engage the inner end of thepushbutton I92 just before it has reached the desired inner-limit ofitstravel, thereby acting as a movement-limiting stop therefor.

:Mounted on and depending from the upper crossbar28-a-boveeach-compartment C is a cash switch 195 associated with suchcompartmentand comprising a mainor frame plate 193 and a dielectric endblock i9 1 in which are-mountedtwo spaced parallel-flexible switchblades I98, I99- respectively provided upon their adjacent faces withopposed contact points 200, 2-9 I and adapted normally'to be disengagedor out of contact with each other. The; lowermost blade I98 projectsoutwardly at its free end and overlies a cam-like actuating arm 202formed-integrally with and as an upward extension of the kicker 42. Thecam-- like actuating arm 202 is disposed at a selected oblique anglesuch that when the kicker 42 is in inactive position,'the switch blade198' will be unfiexed and the contact points 200, 20! will be out ofcontact with each other. When the kicker 42 is shifted forwardly underinfluence of its associated merchandise delivery solenoid 49, theactuating arm 202 will swing rearwardly and upwardly flexing the bladeI98 and bringing the contact 200 into engagement with the contact 20l,all as best seen in Figure 7 and for purposes presently more fullyappearing.

Also mounted at any convenient location in the'panel H4 is a refundswitch 203 comprising a frame member 204 and dielectric block 205provided with four spaced parallel switch blades 206, 201, 208, and 209as best seen in Figure 7. The blades 206 and 201 are respectivelyprovided upon their adjacent faces with opposed contact buttons 2 l0, 2|I and similarly the blades 209 and 209 are respectively provided withopposed contact buttons 2I2, 2l73. The blades 206, 208' furthermoreextend outwardly and at their extended ends are mechanically connectedby a dielectric link. 2M and. are arranged for actuation by the springpressed push button 2l5, the latter being soarranged. that, when it is.shifted inwardly by the customer, the switch blades 206 and 2.08 willbefiexed and the pairs of contact points 210, 2| I, and 212, 213 arebrought into circuit closing or contactive engagement.

Also mounted at any suitable location within the caseor housing A is acash relay 2 l6 comprising an actuating coil or solenoid 2l-8 and tenspaced parallel stationary switch blades 2 i9, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224,225, 226, 221', and 228. The blade 219 is provided with a contact point229 normally positioned for circuit-closed engagement with the blade220. Similarly, the blade 22!- is provided with a contact point 230' forcircuit-closed engagement with the blade 222. The blade 224 is providedwith a contact point 23l' adapted for engagement with the blade 223 whenthe latter is flexed and the blade 225 is provided with contact point232 for engagement with the blade 224 when the latter is flexed as aresult of continued flexure of the blade 222. The blade 22! is providedwith a contact point 233 for circuit-closed engagement with the blade226 and the blade 229 is provided with a contact point 234- forengagement with the blade 221 when the latter is flexed and therebyshifted out of engagement with the blade 226. The blades 220, 222, 223and 221 are interconnected by a dielectric link 235 which is, in turn,mechanically connected in any suitable or conventional manner 12 to thesolenoid 2|8 for actuation thereby, all as schematically shown in Figure24.

Similarly mounted at any suitable location within the case or housing A,is a refund relay 2|! comprising an actuating solenoid 2'36 and sevenspaced parallel switch blades 2'31, 238, 239, 240, 2!, 242, and 243. Theblade 23'! is provided with a contact point 244 for circuit-closedengagement with the blade 238. The blade 249- is provided with a contactpoint 245 adapted for engagement with the blade 239 when the latter isflexed and the blade 24] is provided with a contact point 249 forengagement with the blade 240 when the latter is flexed upon flexing ofthe blade 239 after it comes in contact with the contact point 245. Theblade 243 is provided with a contact point 24'! for engagement with theblade 242 when the latter is flexed. The blades 238 239 and 242 areconnected by a dielectric link 248 which is, in turn, connected in anysuitable or conventional manner to the solenoid 2313 for actuationthereby.

Located beneath the plunger 91 of the timedelay mechanism T is aconventional single-pole. single throw toggle-switch 249 having anupwardly extending arm 250 disposed between two depending lugs 25!, 252rigidly mounted on the plunger 91 in axially spaced relation to eachother as best seen in Figure 14. The lugs 25I, 252 are furthermore solocated with reference to the path of movement of the plunger 91 thatone lug, 25I, will engage and shift the arm 250 to 01f position just asthe plunger 91 reaches the outer limit of the path of travel throughwhich it is moved by the solenoid 99 when the latter is energized andthe other lug 252 will engage and reversely shift the arm 250 to onposition just as the plunger reaches the opposite limit of its path oftravel or so-called dc-energized position. As has been above pointedout, the lug I I0 and its associated refund switch HI are so located inrelation to the de-energized position.

of the plunger 91 that the switch I is closed several seconds prior tothe instant at which. the

plunger 91 comes to rest in such de-energized.

The two match-holding} compartments are not associated with push buttonswitch l8l or limit switch 52 as are the cigarette containing com- 255.When such match compartment C is filled. with matphes, the switch blade255 will be in.

contact with the contact button 254' of the blade 254, and, when thecompartment is empty the associated latching finger 34: will lift theswitch blade 255 into contact with the contact button 256' of the switchblade 256, at the same time breaking contact with the contact button 251of the switch blade 254. The switch blades 254, 256,

conventionally sized package by varying the number, size, and shape ofthe compartments C. As has been above stated, however, the preferredembodiment herein being described has been designed ior vending packagesof cigarettes and books of matches from its several compartments C.Furthermore, for purposes of illustration, it may be assumed that thefirst two cigarette compartments C, counting from right to left(reference being had to Figure 16), are filled each with a selectedbrand of ten-cent cigarettes, the next four compartments each beingrespectively filled with selected brands of fifteen-cent cigarettes, thenext compartment being filled with a selected brand of twenty-centcigarettes, and the last compartment with a selected brand oftwenty-five cent cigarettes. In reference to this last brand ofcigarettes it may be stated that it has been arbitrarily assumed thatthe owner of the vending machine will desire to include a' twentyfivecent brand and that such a brand is available on the market inasmuch asit facilitates the explanation of the operation of the machine to assumethe presence in the machine of a merchandise package or unit having asales value of twenty-five cents. and inconsequential changes, themachine can be adapted for vending only merchandise packages having asales value of fifteen cents, or any other combination or range ofprice.

The vending machine is loaded or filled with cigarette packages byunlocking and removing the panel I5, whereupon the actuating link rods38 will be released and will shift forwardly under influence of thecompression springs 46, thus permitting the latch bar 36 toshift intooperative position. The elevator plates 34 may be manually shifteddownwardly against the tension of their respective springs 32 until thelatching fingers 35 thereof engage with its associated snap latchmechanism 36 on the latch bar 36 and is thus held down for conveniencein loading or filling. When each compartment C has been filled frombottom to top with cigarette packages, the panel I5 may again bereturned to closure-forming position and locked in place, and, asthis isdone,

Obviously, with very slight.

the link rods 38 will again be shifted rearwardly,

swinging the latch bar 36' out ofoperative position and disengaging thelatching fingers 35 of the elevator plates 34 from the snap latchmembers 36. Each elevator plate 35, upon being released,

applies upward pressure to the bottom of the stack of cigarette packageswithin the particular compartment C with which such elevator plate 34 isassociated and consequently the uppermost cigarette package in the stackwill be forced upwardly against the stop plate 43 of the kicker 42 ofsuch compartment C.

The electrical interconnection of the various I that the coin selector Rwill operate so aszto distinguish between coins of variousdenominations. Nickels, dimes, and quarters will be respectivelydeposited into the nickel, dime, and quarter chutes or slots of thesensing mechanism S and will accordingly produce one, two, or fivediscrete electrical impulses during passage downwardly therethrough. Theimpulses are fed directly tothe electromagnet H9, which is thusintermittently energized and advances the contactor shoe I62 step bystep over the several contact buttons I63. It will be evident that, whena nickel drops through the sensing mechanism S, the shoe I62 will beshifted into contact with the first contact button I63. If a dime isdeposited in the machine, the shoe will be shifted into contact with thesecond contact button I63. If a quarter is deposited, the contact shoeI62 will be shifted" into contact with the fifth contactbutton I63. Ifboth a nickel and a dime are deposited in the machine in successiveorder, the shoe I62 will be shifted over either one or two contactbuttons,

depending upon which coin is deposited first, and then will be shifted afurther button or buttons until, as a result of the deposition of bothcoins, it has come to rest on the third contact button I63, representingthe accumulation of fifteen cents inthe machine. It will, of course, beobvious that, depending upon the number ofcontact buttons I63 which maybe provided, the accumulated total of a number ofsuccessively depositedcoins may" be recorded. Inasmuch as both of the swinging gates BI, 82,are in closed position, the coins will be initially held in thetriangular bottom portion of the sensing mecha-i nism S.

The two merchandise delivery solenoids 49 associated with the first twocompartments 0 are connected at one terminal to the second or tencentcontact button I63 of the circuit routing distributor D, and themerchandise delivery solenoids 49 of the fifteen-cent, twenty-0cm, andtwenty-five cent compartments are similarly connected to thefifteen-cent, twenty-cent,

contactive engagement with the second or ten-"- cent contact button I63,both of the ten-cent merchandise delivery solenoids 49 will be connectedwith the circuit routing distributor D. "It

will also be evident that, as soon as a single elecf trical impulse istransmitted from the-sensing mechanism S to the circuit routingdistributor: D, regardless of whether that impulse is the single impulsecaused bya nickel, the first of two suc- 1 cessive impulses caused by adime, or the first of five successive impulses caused by a quarter, thevconductor arm I6I will be swung around into.

contact with the first or so-called five-centcontact button I63. Becausethe particular embodiment presently being described is not set up tocontain a column of five-cent merchandise, this five-cent contact buttonI63 will, in effect, be

dead in the sense that it is not connected 'to any of the merchandisedelivery solenoids 49. This initial movement of the contactor arm I6Ishifts the pin I12 away from engagement with, the arm I65 of the zeroposition switch J64, sueessilvely making contact with the switch bladeslfifir aind 116 1.

'flhe. switch -bladel6'6 is connected to-one side of the timedelaysolenoid 96 :and, inasmuch as the toggle switch MH -associated with thetime delay mechanism T is in on position, the solenoid 95'willimmediately. be energized, shifting the plunger 91 over to'its outerlimit position, at which point theltoggle switch 249 shifted to offposition, breaking the circuit to the solenoid 96 and .de-

energizing it. The plunger .91 thereupon is free to return to itsinitial position slowly under influence of the piston I03 and springI81, which operate to introduce a selected interval of time delay'in thereturn movement of the plunger 9]. A'sithe plunger 91 isshiftedloutwardly during the interval ofenergizatlon of the solenoid 96,the automatic refund switch I'II isopened and this switchwill remainopen until the plunger 91- has returned almost to its initial position.'Inother words, the automaticrefund switch III will .re-- main'openlfora calculated interval of time, which is sufiiciently long to permit theordinary purchaser to'complete his purchase. If, during this interval,the purchase is .not completed, or some other unpredicted occurrencetakes place to prevent normal functioning of the machine, the automatic.refund switch III will, upon reclosing at the end of theintervaLinitiate a series of operations,:as a result of which theunusedcoins will bereturnedto the purchaser and the entire machine shut downin a manner which will be presently more fully discussed.

Theiswitch blade I61 of the zero position switch I 64 isconnectedthrough the conductor'button I60 and the conductive disc I59 to theconductor arm I 61. Inasmuch as the switch blade IE .is connected to onemain input lead (forconvenience hereinafter designated as thenegativelead), the contactor shoeIGZ will now be live and when, upon receipt ofthe next impulses from the sensing mechanism S, the contactor shoe I62moves into contactive engagement with the ten-cent conta'ctor button153; the two ten-cent merchandise delivery solenoids '49 will beconditioned-for operation.

It will ,be noted thatthenegative terminal of the merchandise deliverysolenoid 49 is also connected through theswitch blades 53 and 54 to oneterminalof the lamp I80 associated with that particular compartment Cand. the other. terminal of such lamp IBllis connected in common withall the othersimilar lamps Ififlthrough the switch blades 22L 222-, ofthecash relay 2P5 and thence through-the switch blades231, .238, oftherefund relay 2 H to the othermain input lead (for conveniencehereinafter designated as the positive lead). Consequently, as soon as adime has passedthrough the sensing mechanism .8 and the two ten-cenmerchandise delivery solecorresponding four incandescent lights- I80=-wil1 be lighted. At thexsame time, the twomerchan disedeliverysolenoids :49, associated with the two ten-cent" compartmentssCand the corresponde ing two lights I80, will go off, thereby indicating.

to .thepurchaser that. fifteen-cent merchandise can .beobtained. If thepurchaserroriginally intendedv to purchase a fifteen-cent package ofcigarettes andidepositedsfifteen cents in the .ma-. chine, threeimpulseswill beitransmitted from; the sensingnmechanism S to thecircuit routing:distributor D :in .such rapid succession that the two lights 1-81) andthe merchandise delivery .solenoids-.49 zassociated'with the ten-.centcompartment :C will. be on for only a..fraction,of an instant-asthecontacto-rshoe [-62 passes over the ten-cent contactor button I63 andthe .purchaser will hardly be aware of this .momentary or transitorycondition. 2If,.on the o-ther:hand, the purchaser originally depositedten cents'into the machine, intending to buy fifteencent cigarettesand-through error or for some other reason failed to depositthe-additional nickel, the-two lights I80 associated with the ten-centcolumns will light up and the four lights 16B .associated with thefifteen-centcolumns will remain dark, indicating to'the purchaserthatonly tencentshaszthus far been deposited intothemachine. andthus onlyten-cent merchandise can be bought. In such case, :the purchaser,wanting fifteen-cent .merchandise, can deposit an additionalnickeLthereby putting the fifteen-cent compartments C in condition'foroperation. Similarly, if. a purchaser has deposited a dime into themachine with the initialintention of.purchasing tenecent merchanediseandchanges his mind, he may, bythedeposition of additional coins,condition for operation the higher @price compartments ,C and:accordingly purchase such higher price merchandise.

If after thedeposition of coins, the purchaser decides not to make anypurchase at all, he may obtain a refund of his deposited coins by simplypressing the manual refund push button 215, closing the refundswitch203. The switch blade 208 is connected to one terminal of therefund relay2ll and the other switchl blade 209 is connected throughtheswitch blades 2 I 9,220, of the cash relayl'lfi and thencethrough thezeroDlQsition switch I64 to:the negative lead. The other terminal ofthe-solenoid 236 isconnecteddi-reotly to the positive lead. Therefore,as soon-as the refund switch 203 is closed, the solenoid 236-;will beenergized and :the refnndrelaylllwi1l,-be

shifted into closed position. It .will be noted" that the'switch-blades239 and 242 are also connected through the zero position switch lt lg to,the negative lead and the associated" switch blades 240, 2M, and 2 43:arerespectively con-- nected to one terminal of the-coin returnsolenoid- 86,one-terminal of the magnetic C0i1'1l43 of the resettingmechanismlAZ, and to the negative-side'of the'refund relay solenoid-236. The.

other terminals of the coin return solenoid v186- and the resettingmechanism coil 4-43 :are .con-

ratchet "mechanism of the-circuit routing distributor 'D is releasedandthe conductor-arm t6] and its associated contacton shoe I62 are -re-1? turned rapidly to zero position, opening the zero position switch andinterrupting I all circuits which are connected to, the negative lead,thereby shutting down the machine completely. Because the purchaser maysimply press the refund push button 2I5 and release it immediatelybefore the machine has had time to clear itself, the :contact betweenthe switch blades 242 and '243 will operate as a holding circuitto-maintain connection-between the refund relay solenoid J239and thenegativelead until the zero position switch I64 is opened and theconnection between the negative lead and all circuits is thus broken.

If the purchaser, on the other hand, desires to purchase merchandise forthe coins deposited, assuming that he'has, deposited fifteen cents andthe four fifteen-cent? compartments C are accordingly conditionedforjoperation, the purchaser may press anydesired-one of the four pushbuttons I92 projecting outwardly through the apertures II'I of the panelI14 beneath the lighted lamps I80. As soon as the selected push buttonI92 is. depressed, a circuit is closed to the switch, bladesol83; I84,which has the effect of connecting ,the. associated merchandise deliverysolenoid '49 through the switch blades 55, 56, to the positive-lead,whereupon such solenoid 49, having; already been-conditioned byconnection to the negative lead through the circuit routing distributorD, is energized and the kicker 42 is actuated to discharge a singlepackage of cigarettes. As the kicker 42 is actuated, the associated castswitch I95 is closed, thereby completing a circuit to the particularsolenoid 49 as sociated with the central match-holding compartment C fordelivery of ;a single book of matches together with the dispensedcigarette package. I The closing of the cash switch I95 simultaneouslyactuates one of the delivery solenoids 49 associated with one of thematch-hold-' ing' compartments 0, depending upon which compartmentcontains a supply of matchbooks and such energized solenoid 49 willactuate its associated kicker42'to deliver a-book of matches with eachdispensed package of cigarettes. At the same time, the cash switch I95will close the .circuit between Qneterminal of the cash relay solenoid2I8 and the positive lead.- 'lhe other terminal of the cash relaysolenoid ,2I8 is connected through the zero position switch I64 to thenegative lead,,and, since the zero position switch is closed due to thepresence of cash in the machine, the cash-relay solenoid LIB will beenergized, closing the cash relay 2 I6 and thereby simultaneouslycompleting circuits to the coin depositing solenoid 81, the resettingmechanism coil I43, and a holding circuit for the cash relay solenoid2I8. When the cash relay 2I6 closes, it automatically opens circuits totherefund relay. M1, the incandescent lights I80, the push buttonswitches I8I, and the time delay solenoid 96. As a result,'the coins aredropped through the chute 94.to a coin deposit box 95,-the circuitrouting, distributor D is returned to zero pOSltion, and the lightedlamps I80 are turned off. As soon as the zero position switch I64 isopened, the holding circuit to the cash relay solenoid2 I 8, togetherwith all the other circuits of the machine, is broken and the entiremachine returns toshutdown position.

If, for any reason, the purchaser'doesnot make his selection within areasonable length of time or for some other unforeseenrreason themachine is not permitted to complete a fulloperating. and merchandisedelivery cycle, the time delay mechanism T will operate as asafetydevice. If coins are still in the machine and the conductor armI62 of the circuit routingjdistributor D is in shifted position, so thatthe zero position switch I64 isclosed'when the plunger 91 approaches itsinitial onde-energized position, the automatic refund switch IIIwill'close and connect the refund relay to the negative lead with thesame effect as though the refund push button 2I5 had been depressed. Themachine will thereupon perform all of the operations which result from aclosure of the refund relay 2Il, that is to say, the coins willbedropped into the coin return till "I4, the resetting mechanism I42 willbe actuated to return the conductor arm I91 of the circuit routingdistributor D ,to zero position, and the zero position switch I64 willfinally be opened to return .the machine to shutdown condition. Ashor-tinterval of time after closure of the automatic refund switch III, theplunger 91 will finally return and'come to rest in its initial orde-energized position, at which point the toggle switch 249 will bereturned to closed position, thereby reconnecting thesolenoid 90 to thepositive lead. By this time, however, the zero position switch I64 hasbeen opened and, therefore, the solenoid 96 will now be disconnectedfrom the negative lead and not be energized, but will merely beconditioned for energization upon the next cycle of operation of themachine.

When any one of the compartments C becomes empty of its merchandise, theelevator plate 34 will come to rest at its'uppermost position betweenthe partitions 29 and the latch finger will engage the limit switch 52,disconnecting the circuits to the associated lamp I90 and deliverysolenoid 491 and, at the same time, partially completing a circuit, fromone side of the three no goods indicator lamps I to the associated pushbutton switch IBI, so that, when such push button switch I8I is closed,the no goods indicator lamps I80 will immediately be lighted, warningthe purchaser that the selected column containing the desiredmerchandise, is empty. Because the limit switch 52 is open, however, themachine will remain inoperative, theindicator lamp I80 and the deliverysolenoid 49, associated with that particular column will remain off, andthe purchasers money will remainin the bottom of the sensing mechanisms.-Thus, it is possible for the purchase toobtain a refund of his money bypushing the refund button 2H5 or purchase an alternative brand ofcigarettes by pressing any one of the other push button switches I8Iwithin the price bracket corresponding to the amount of. money depositedin the machine. In addition if the purchaser does not desire to purchaseany of the brands of cigarettes within the price bracket for which hehas already deposited money, butprefers to purchase a brand ofcigarettes in a higher price bracket, this result may be easily achievedby merely depositing additional coins until the machine contains anamount of cash corresponding to the particular price bracketfrom whichthe purchaser desires to make his second choice.

If, through error, accident, or for some other reason, slugs ordefective coinsfind their way into the coin. rejector R and the laterbecomes clogged, the spurious or defective coins and all other laterdeposited coins may be immediately returned to the cash return till I4and the coin rejector R cleared for subsequent operations by pressingthe refund push button- 2I5, thereby fund switch lI-l;

19 closing the circuit through the switch blades 2%, 291 to thescavenger'solenoid H. Inasmuch as no moneyhas' passed: throughthesensing mechanism S; th'e'zero position. switchflii l will; be open andmeanernative: circuit from the refund switch 293 through the "switchblades 208, 299, to the-refund relay 2H willbeinoperative'. 'As will beevident from consideration of the wiring diagram, the scavenger solenoidH is directly connected throughthe' switch blades 296, 281, acrossthe'positive and negative leads, so. that it will operate-every time therefund push button 2| 5 is depressedand will operate to clear the coinrejector ltevery time a refund is made, thereby defeating the'efiortscfany unscrupulous per son who endeavors to-cheatthe machine? by firstdepositing a genuine coin? and thereaf-ter depositing a spurious coinintended'to. jam. the mechanism and permit actuation of themerchandisedeliveryunits whil at the same: time allowing actuation of: the refundmechanism to. re-

turn the initially. deposited: genuine coin. The

machine is additionally "cheat proof because of thefseri'e s connectedrelationship between. the several pairs of switch'bladesl I85, I35,ofall of the push button switches-i'|8I When any, one push button I84is: actuated; the series. circuit through the cthers is interrupted and,asa. re-' sult; onlyonepush button will initiate merchane dise deliveryoperation in the machine.

Finally, if a purchaser should, through error, deposit thirty cents inthe machine, the conductorarm I61 will: be shifted around, bringing thecontactor shoe I62 into. c'ontactwith the sixth or thirty-cent contactbutton I63; and, simi- V larly, if any amount in excess of thirty centsis deposite'd in the. machin'e,'the contactor shoe 162 will 'beaccordingly shifted to some appropriate further-contact button I63,representing such amount. Because, inthe particular embodiment beinghere described, the highest.v price merchandise for which the machine isset upis a twenty-five cent package of cigarettes, all' contact buttonsI 63 representingamounts of thirty cents or over will=beconnected inc'ommonto the negative side of the refundtrelaysolenoid 23.6 and'willoperate in the samemanner as the automatic. re.-

In; other words, when; an amount of thirty cents orover is.depositedinthe machine, the refund relay. Zil will automatically beactuated and the money returned, thereby proe tecting the purchaser.against lossof; money by reason of accidental over-payment."

'If desired, an entirelyautomatic vending; ma- 1 chine-may beprovided'including an, outer housing or case A, substantially. similarto the .previously describedcase A exceptthat thev pushbutr.

tons I92 are eliminated and instead the front panel I8 is provided withcoinedrop slots 25.1,

wardly and are provided with pole-pieces 261,

268, respectively located in juxtaposition to the poles of thesolenoid-26-l. The blade 262 isalso provided with a contact point 269positioned for contact with a-contact point 210 on the blade: 2 63 20onlywhenthe b1ade 2'62- is flexed'. Similarly, the bIad'e265 is providedwith ali contactlpoint 2.11 for contact with a contact pointlfliz on.thebladel 264 only when the bIadeiEB- is flexed, Finally, the blade 266is provided? withia contact; point. 21:3, which normally contacts theback. side of. the blade 2 65' when? the later isimflexed;

Pivotally mounted on eachv chute; 25:8: for co.- operation with each.switch 267%); is: alight-weight rock arm 21-4 provided at one-endi-withalateral finger 2 15- extending through an. arcuatelslot 216 formed inthe side wall of the chute Z58 and' at the other end'with a earnmingfinger .15! forbearing against theblade 262: It will beevident that theblade 2 62 must be very flexible and capable of being actuated bytheweighuof a cam; strikin against 'the finger 215 of therock arm 211k.Bro;- vi'ded for co-operation withall' of the... severalcircuit-conditioning switches: 2 60; is; a'=.disconnect:- relay 218.including; a stationary contact? blade 2-19 and a movable: contactspringeleaf' 280-. set for normal closed contact: engagement-with; theblade 219; Operably connected' to. the leafi 28B is a solenoid bar 28lmounte.din and actuated by a solenoid- 282', which, 'when energized;will shift the "bar 7 2 8 1 outwardly. to disconnect .the blade 27-9 andleaf 2851; thereby: opening the normally' closed circuit through suchmemb ers; llhe switch 260" is connectedas shown inFigure 27, thenumerals I, II; III; being used; to: designate the pointsat which thismodified or overlaid? circuit is connectedinto the-- generalcircuit'softhe machine, as shown in Figure 24, thepush button switches I81-andattendant-mechanism being eliminated. Actually; theswitch 260: is anautomatic; substitute forthe m'ariuallyi operable delivery: switch I81of the previously: described embodimentand the three blades 264, 265;.286', of the switch 260 correspond t'o the blades. I83",

182,185; respectively; of -the switch being: con.-

nected intotheres'tof the circuit ini precisely the same manner; and forthe same purpose.

' It willi be noted byrerere c -m Figure 24 that all off the switches26fl'-are connected 'toithenega-r tiye lead through the norrnally closeddisconnect relay -"l'isi 'Thus, When acoin-is dropped in one ofthe slots251',"the}- finger 2- l5 will be tripped downwardly and thecimmihg-finger 211 will close thecontactbetWeen blades 282 and 263, thusconnectingfthe other side or: the solenoid 25 [to the positive lead andcompleting the circuit; thereby energizing t1l e-SO16lf10id -2fi-i,which thereupon; holds the bltdeZGZ in circuit-closed position and alsoswings; the blade 2 6 5Qoverl into contact with blade 264 and} out of'contact with blade 2 6 6; This conditions-the merchandisedeliverycircuit for-operation as soon as'the coins pass; through thesensing mechanism S and the circuit-routing d-istributer is activated-After the selected merchandise has beendelivered and the: associatedcash switch: I closed; current will travel (see connection III)? to thesolenoid 2 ofthe disconnect rela y- 2fi-ttand 'the latter will beactuated momentarily; opening -one sid'e ofthe ho1ding? circuit to thesolenoid 26 There; upon, the blades 26Z and2li5 are released;r.eturning; the switch 260 td-initi-al position- It hould beunderstoodltha't' changesandmodle fications in the form,construction,-arrangement; and combination of the severalp'artsnfthe-VeIIde mg machine-may be made and substituted. for those hereinshown: and described without de;-. parting from th'e nature andprincipleiof my;ln=;- vention. .1: 1

Having: thus describech mm: invention; ."What: I

